What advice would you give as a gamer to a developer?

[Morreion]

The Daily Grind: What advice would you give as a gamer to a developer?(Massively)

Communication between developers and gamers isn't always as simple as a one-on-one chat. The devs have an enormous microphone that gamers can't help but hear, but they also have everything they say scrutinized and analyzed past the point of helpfulness. Gamers, on the other hand, can only shout into the wind and hope that their voice rises above the rest of the mob to be heard by a studio team.

But let's pretend that today, all of the MMO devs in the world are in an audience and you are up on stage with the mic. What advice would you give them? What would you want devs to know if they were really listening to you?


Don't listen to gamers! Follow your vision! Gamers often don't know what they really want. There are vocal minorities that will steer you off course!

Also, to you sandbox devs: It's OK to NOT have free-for-all PvP in your sandbox. As a matter of fact, that usually means your game is destined to decline. There's a large market out there for a PvE sandbox, even if it isn't the 'cool kids' clamoring for it.

[Laethaka]

pay very close attention to what music you're using. We've had enough goddamn choral symphonics and techno and cutesy retro. Homeworld's soundtrack has enduring fame & sympathy among gamers because it was very original in finding music that perfectly fit its setting- spacey atmospherics and old Catholic hymns and even a Yes track in the credits!

There are so many games that would fit great lesser-known music already out there that can stand on its own, but the focus always seems to be finding sound that gamers will expect and fit in without distracting from the graphics.

[Laethaka]

I mean I haven't played or watched Legend of Grimrock 2 at all, and while I'm sure it's gonna be a good game that I'll like and be surprised by in a lot of ways, I know EXACTLY how the music is going to sound and my expectations there are totally flat

[Morreion]

Man, I LOVED Homeworld's soundtrack- and when I reached the end of the campaign and heard the Yes track which was like a reward for getting to the end, it was an awesome moment- I was a big Yes fan then :-)

[Oatik]

Don't listen to gamers! Follow your vision! Gamers often don't know what they really want. There are vocal minorities that will steer you off course!

Agreed! Totally agree! I overwhelming throw my full support behind that statement!